Page 456 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

444 Records of Bahrain

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Blialkh of Bahrain wight wish to send to Zubaruh and
stating that (qb had boon promised by the tihalkh of
Bahrein in my last interview with him) in return for
his allowing this, goods In transit through Bahrain for
Qatar would only be charged duty ot S$, Furthermore
I asked the Shaikh *forthwith" to "(1) remove all su­
pervision and Customs u..d other officials from tho
Zubapuh area| and (2) remove all guards, watchman, end
any other poroona from the port at Zubarah leaving tho
fort empty." I concluded tho lottor

"Please Inform mo by return that you have takon
these measures, I shall then tell tho Shaikh of Bahrain
that he may lot his people «3 opocified visit the area.
As rogardB tho question of Juri8diction, it will
be bettor, if any disputo arises as u result of this
arrangement, that It should bo referred to myself or to
tho'Political Officer ot Doha for decision."

four excellency will note that in this case here,
as indeed throughout these negotiations, I followed
a principle which I believe is of general application
in deuling with our {Shaikhs, l.o., my emphasis was on
a demand for action not on n requost for agreement to
generalities. At the some time I wrote to Kr. Wilton
asking him to hand my letter to the tthalkli of Qatar and
telling him that If his advice viero sought, lie should
tell tho Shaikh that "I urn not interested In further
argument and that what wu want now Is overt and speedy
action to end an intolerably and (for himself) an ex­
ceedingly criticul situation". 1 pointed out too that
as regards Jurisdiction I hud not accoded to the bhuikh's
request that jurisdiction over the Bahrain visitors should
rest with him, and in not doing so I had of course gone
against the provisions of tho Qatar Order ir. Council.
Thie was becuuso the Shaikh of Behruln would not agree
to hlo dependents etc., boing subject to Qular Jurisdiction.
We might have to Insist that ho do us so in future, but
in such a critical matter it is bol ter In tho beginning
at any rate to have disputes referred to us, for political,
rathor than Judicial settlement.
10. One of the cries of these negotiations had now
been reached. If the CdiuiMi of Qatar agreed In writing
to my demands, then tho road to Zubarah was open to the
Shaikh of Bahrain's people; if not 1 could not tell tho
Shaikh of Bahrain to let his people to go to Zubarah - and
the position would have been no better than at any time
since tho 1944 "Agreement".
11. • Thanks to Mr. «11ton's efforts, tho Shaikh of Qatar
sont a reply to my letter on tho 16th of February of which
the material ports are ec follows;
"Your (Excellency's reference that our vital in­
terests in Zubarah viz. our honour, sovereignty and our
material and administrative rights will bo safeguarded
is a matter to increase our gratitude to you, though wo
ore already sure that the Government of Grout Britain as
exemplified in your personality will protect our rights
and safeguard our Interoats. rto are therefore trustful
of . • •